Field of the Invention
Aspects of the present invention generally relate to an image processing apparatus having a user authentication function.
Description of the Related Art
To improve security in image processing apparatuses, a conventional image processing apparatus requests a user who uses the image processing apparatus to enter a user identifier (ID) and a password and permits the user to log in to the image processing apparatus based on the entered user ID and password. When the user's login is permitted in such an image processing apparatus, the image processing apparatus enters a state in which the user is allowed to use a function, such as copying, that the image processing apparatus has.
Furthermore, in such a known image processing apparatus, when the user logs out of the image processing apparatus after completion of the use thereof, the image processing apparatus enters a state in which the user is not allowed to use each function that the image processing apparatus has, and also enters a state in which another user is allowed to log in to the image processing apparatus. Moreover, when a condition in which no operation is performed by any user on the image processing apparatus continues over a specified period, the image processing apparatus enters a state in which the user is caused to log out of the image processing apparatus and another user is allowed to log in to the image processing apparatus (automatic logout function). Additionally, in a known information processing apparatus (for example, a personal computer (PC)) having a login authentication function, when the user logs out, execution of a job which the user is performing is canceled.
Furthermore, some known conventional image processing apparatuses are configured to allow a plurality of jobs (for example, copy jobs) to be input thereto. Such an image processing apparatus executes the input jobs in turns based on the order of inputting of the jobs or the order of priority set for the jobs. Moreover, when, after a job is input, the job is to be canceled, a stop key provided in an operation unit of the image processing apparatus can be used to suspend execution of input jobs, as discussed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-251454.
The image processing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-251454 allows the user to select a job to be canceled from among the suspended jobs, cancels execution of the selected job, and resumes the remaining jobs. This processing suspends all of the jobs and, therefore, prevents, while an operation to select a job to be canceled is being performed, the job from continuing being processed to generate a wasteful output object.
An image processing apparatus which performs authentication management premised on the user's login may also be configured to be able to suspend jobs with a stop key provided in an operation unit. However, the image processing apparatus discussed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2001-251454 is configured without consideration of a processing operation to be performed when the user logs out.
For example, the user, when becoming aware that the output operation of the image processing apparatus has been suspended by the stop key being pressed, may misunderstand that a job intended to be canceled has been indeed canceled. In this case, the user may directly perform a logout operation to log out without checking a suspension screen displayed on the operation unit. In that case, while the job is suspended, the image processing apparatus is switched to a state in which the user is not logging in. In the state in which the user is not logging in, a screen used to receive the user's login is displayed, so that each function of the image processing apparatus cannot be used.
Moreover, in a case where a user who intends to cancel a job has pressed the stop key, the user, when becoming aware that the output operation has been suspended, may misunderstand that a copy job to be canceled has been indeed canceled, and may leave the image processing apparatus without performing any operation. In this case, if the user is caused to log out by the automatic logout function, the image processing apparatus would be switched to a state in which no user is logging in.
If a logout is performed with a job suspended, the job would remain in a suspended state. Moreover, if a state in which a job remains suspended by the stop key continues, even a job different from the job that the user intends to cancel would remain suspended. In addition, a hardware resource used for a printing unit or the like to perform outputting may continue being occupied by output processing performed based on a job that is in a suspended state and is waiting for a resumption instruction. In this case, even if it is tried to perform print processing based on a print job generated from new print data received from an external device, print processing performed based on a job that is in a suspended state and is occupying a hardware resource for the printing unit or the like cannot be overtaken, so that the image processing apparatus may stop in a waiting state.